


Steady

by hulklinging



Category: Young Avengers
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Multi, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-20
Updated: 2015-03-20
Packaged: 2018-03-18 16:46:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3576684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hulklinging/pseuds/hulklinging
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes, it's the quiet nights that matter most.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Steady

**Author's Note:**

  * For [thegaywardens](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thegaywardens/gifts).



> This is for thegaywardens/[genderfluidloki](www.genderfluidloki.tumblr.com) because they were sad and ALSO it's their birthday soon. And because they showed me Loki can be a cool kid.

Teddy is steady. He has to be, being the muscle on a superhero team, being the boyfriend of not one but two reality warpers who are prone to instability, at times. Sometimes literally, he notes, remembering the fight last week where Billy was hit with some brain scrambling ray and for a few minutes it was like someone had hit the Infinite Improbability Drive, as they all flickered through more and more improbable forms and versions of themselves.

So Teddy works very hard at being steady. But he doesn't mind. It's what they need, his partners, and they are so good at giving him what he needs (acknowledgement, assurance that he is here and present and himself, love). It's why he always has to laugh at the utter shock on people's faces when they hear about his relationship. It might come as a shock to others, but it was no surprise to him, that they fit together so well.

He comes home after work, dropping his bag by the door, and walks into the living room to plant a kiss on Billy's forehead. Billy smiles at him, and then turns back towards his laptop. He's got the nervous energy of someone nearing the end of the semester, and so Teddy isn't bothered that he only got a smile.

"How's it going?"

"I hate essays," Billy whines. "I hate school. I hate a lot of things right now."

"I'll make dinner tonight?" Teddy offers, because yes technically it's Billy's turn, but it looks like he's finally fought through the anxiety and started getting work done, and he doesn't want to interrupt that.

"I don't hate you," Billy says quickly, and Teddy knows he made the right choice when Billy turns towards him, and takes his attention away from his essay for a full ten seconds to give him a proper kiss. "I don't hate you at all."

"Noted," Teddy says with a smile. He looks around, but their third roommate is nowhere to be seen. "Where's Loki?"

Billy shrugs. "He was home. He was in here for a bit, but then he left in a hurry? I had headphones in, so I don't know what was up..." There's a hint of guilt in Billy's voice, like he should have a better idea where their boyfriend was, but that won't do.

"It's okay. You focus. I'm sure he's around." Loki's laptop is sitting open on the coffee table, which probably means he's in the house somewhere. It's odd of him to leave his laptop out like that, though, so Teddy decides to check in with him before he goes to make them all dinner.

Billy nods, already pulled back into essay crunch time mode, and Teddy goes to find Loki.

He's not in their unofficially shared bedroom, or in the bathroom, or the kitchen. That only leaves the second bedroom, the one that is technically still Loki's, just like the first bedroom is technically Teddy and Billy's. Loki hasn't slept in it for months. It's mostly been used for storage, which is why when Teddy opens the door and glances around, he doesn't immediately spot anything amiss.

Then he notices there's light coming from the closet.

"Loki?"

He opens the closet to find Loki tucked into the corner, as small as he can make himself with his current body. The light is coming from his DS, and he doesn't look up from it, even when Teddy opens the door.

"Are... are you okay?" There's a weird twist to Loki's mouth, one that has nothing to do with him concentrating on his game. He looks upset. He looks really upset. "What happened?"

"Nothing," Loki finally answers. "M'playing."

"Is it a game you have to be in a closet to play?"

"Go away," Loki says, and there's enough venom in it that Teddy almost does, almost closes the door and walks out because he's had a long day and he really, really doesn't want to fight tonight. But there's a quiver to Loki's voice that cuts through the venom and makes him crouch next to the god instead.

He doesn't say anything, doesn't stare Loki down, either, because that might come off as a challenge, so he leans his head against the wall and closes his eyes. Teddy likes small spaces, and aside from there being something obviously not okay with Loki, being tucked away like this is... kinda nice. He lets his body relax, and waits for Loki to say something.

"What are you doing?"

"You're upset." Teddy doesn't open his eyes. "And hiding in a closet. I'm comforting you."

"I feel so comforted." The sarcasm is heavy in his mouth, but Teddy takes it as an invitation to reach out, put an arm around the smaller's shoulders.

"Better?"

He can feel Loki relax under him, and then finally lean in against Teddy, tucking himself into Teddy's embrace.

"...thanks."

Teddy nods. They sit there for a moment, breathing together, before Loki talks again.

"The internet is stupid."

Teddy does not try to keep track of Loki's exploits. And that included whatever the trickster decides to get up to on the internet. Because frankly, he probably doesn't want to know. But there are things he does pay attention to. The Young Avengers are both not so young anymore and well known public figures, at this point, so of course there is commentary on the internet about them. Every once in a while, one of them stumbles onto a particularly harsh article or a creepier than usual post, and needs a bit of comfort. They fight demons and aliens and all matter of dangerous people, but there's something about the opinions of an anonymous no one that has a way of getting under even the toughest skin. And although talking about Loki's family is an unofficial faux pas in this house, he can always tell when Loki's come across something about his brother that upsets him, because he gets real quiet. This looks like one of those instances.

He open his eyes, and give a Loki a sympathetic smile. "Yeah. It is."

They sit there long enough that Teddy thinks he should probably get up and get started on that dinner, when the closet door opens again, and Billy's there. His hair is sticking up from stressful fingers running through it, and he doesn't look like he's slept in days, but there's a smile at the corner of his mouth.

"Am I invited?"

Billy tucks himself against Teddy's other side and closes his eyes, and Teddy knows he'll probably start snoring at any moment. Loki's not asleep, but he doesn't look like he's planning on moving any time soon either. Teddy rolls his eyes, but he's grinning, because this is exactly where he wants to be, supporting the two most important people in his life.

He carefully slides his phone out of his pocket, trying not to disturb anyone, and pulls up their favourite pizza place's convenient 'order online' option. It doesn't look like he'll be making dinner tonight, after all, but he can't bring himself to mind.


End file.
